Machine for grinding and polishing plate-glass.



Patented 0a,. .8, 90I.

(Application med Jan. 3, 1901.

s She ets SheQt I.

(No Model.)

QM $5 MN QN mm Nwm d i\|1 WK. Us R a M GIN w R MN W E9 6% L w .m\\ m MKu .I. w/ 1 1M Hh Hi l 51!!! qvilneaaca I No. 684,330. Patented Oct. 8,IBM.

' M. R. WELTY.

MACHINE FDR GRINDING AND POLISHING PLATE GLASS.

(Application fi led Jan. 8,1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

/ Muenlbmw .No. 684,330. Patentedfict. 8, l90l.

M. R. WELTY. MACHINE FOR GRINDING AND POLISHING PLATE GLASS.

(Application filed-Jan. 3, IQGLI 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MASON R. WELTY, OF HUNKERS, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR GRINDING AND POLlSHlNG PLATE-GLASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,830, dated October8, 1901.

Application filed January 3, 1901. Serial No. 42,000. No model Be itknown that I, MASON R.WE LTY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Hunkers, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forGrinding and Polishing Plate-Glass; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The object of this invention is to minimize the danger of breakingplate-glass during the process of grinding, smoothing, and polishing bymaterially reducing the handling and to enable the finishing to beefiected in a less time and at a diminished cost than is possible by themethod generally in use.

The organized machine embodies a revoluble plate-holder and a stationarygrinder or polisher, the latter being interchangeable, so that thegrinder may be replaced by the smoother and polisher.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction,and combinations of parts, which hereinafter will be more fullydescribed and c1aimed,and shown in the drawings hereto attached, inwhich Figure 1 is a front view of a machine embodying the invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the truck provided with the grindingelements. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the truck provided withbuffers or polishers. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the trucksupplied with the grinding and smoothing elements and showing the meansfor supplying abrading material thereto and the revoluble holders forthe plate-glass to be operated upon. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of arevoluble holder. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the instrumentalitieswhereby the revoluble holder is controlled and the plateglassautomatically fed to the grinder or polisher. Fig. 7 is a detail view ofa portion of the polisher. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the means forholding the truck when positioned between the revoluble holders.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The shafts 1 and 53, mounted in bearings provided at the lower endofswinging brackets or hangers 3, are provided at their inner ends withplates or heads 4, constituting revoluble holders to which the plates ofglass to be ground and polished are attached. These shafts are rotatedeither in the same or opposite directions and at the same time receive ato-and-fro movement, resulting from an oscillatory movement imparted tothe hangers or brackets 3. Any suitable mechanism may be employed forrotating the shafts and oscillating the hangers, and the latter may bevibrated in unison in the same or opposite directions. The swingingmovement of the shafts prevents the formation of rings or lines upon thesurfaces of the glass plates. The heads or revoluble holders 4: may beof any dimension according to the size and capacity of the machine,'andin order to secure the glass plates thereto the holders are providedwith clamp-bars 5, attached thereto in any desired and substantialmanner. The shafts 1 and 2 are mounted so as to have a limitedlongitudinal or endwise play, which is essential in order to makeprovision for an automatic feed of the glass plates as the grinding orsmoothing progresses. This construction also admits of the revolubleholders being moved outward to allow the truck carrying the grinders orbuffers to pass readily between the plates either in or out.

A bracket 6 is provided at the outer side of each hanger 3,and aset-screw 7 passes through the lower end thereof and makes screw-threadconnection with the outer end of the shaft, a spring 8 being mountedupon the set-screw and interposed between the bracket and outerextremity of the said shaft and normally tending to move the latterinward to force the plates of glass against the polishers or buffers.Upon turning the screw 7 so as to cause it to enter the threaded openingin the outer end of the shaft the latter is moved outward and the spring8 compressed, and after the truck has been moved into position betweenthe holders the set-screws are turned in the opposite direction topermit an expansion of the springs 8, whereby the shafts are movedinward to carry the glass plates against the grinders, and as saidplates are ground they are automaticallyfed forward by the action of thesprings, as will be readily comprehended. V

A truck 9, of suitable construction, is adapted to travel upon rails 10,constituting a track and extending parallel with the revoluble holders4. The longitudinal sills of the truck are extended at their ends, asshown at 11, and securing means cooperate therewith to fix the positionof the truck when located between the revoluble holders, so as to admitof the grinders or buffers acting upon the glass plates attachedthereto. Pendent from each extension 11 of the sills is a rod or bar 12,and these parts serve to properly position the truck and to hold it inplace. Guides 13 are applied to the sleepers 14., upon which the rails10 are mounted, and consist of a base-plate and vertical flanges 15,extending about in parallel relation and flaring at their ends to admitof the free entrance therebetween of the lower ends of the rods or bars12. When running the truck between the revoluble holders 4:, the lowerends of the rods or bars 12 pass between the flanges 15 of therespective guides and fix the position of the truck and prevent lateralmovement thereof, vertical and longitudinal movement being preventedbyclamps, consisting of arms 16, pivotally connected at their lower endsto the sleepers lat and having their upper ends bent and threaded toreceive clamp-screws 17, which are adapted to turn against the top sideof the extensions 11, so as to clamp said extensionsbetween'the guides13 and the clamp-screws 17. By having the arms 16 pivotally connected tothe sleepers 14 or other convenient portion of the machine they can beturned down out of the way, so as to admit of the truck to be run intoor away from the machine.

Mounted upon the truck is the grinding or polishing mechanism, asdesired, and in this connection it is to be understood that differenttrucks are provided for the same machine, each being supplied withfinishing mechanism either for grinding, smoothing, or polish ing, asrequired in the operation of treating the glass plate for the market.These trucks are interchangeable-that is to say, the truck bearing thegrinding mechanism is replaceable by the truck bearing the smoothingdevices and the latter in turn adapted to be substituted by the truckbearing the buffers or polishing elements. The superstructure of thetruck bearing the grinding mechanism comprises upright boxes 18, closedat their bottom and sides and open at their top and having theiroutermost walls perpendicular and parallel throughout their extent andtheir inner walls outwardly convergent, whereby the spaces formedbetween the inner and outer walls of each box flares or gradually widenstoward its upper end, which is of advantage, as will appear hereinafter.The end and inner walls of each box are closed, whereas the outer wallis composed of a series of slats or bars 19, spaced apart and providedwith the grinders 20, consisting of bars 20 either of metal or wood andof varying length and applied to the slats 19 so as to break joint,

ceases as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. of the bars 2O are beveled andtheir outer faces are formed with grooves 21 to provide passages toadmit of the abrading material passing from one grinder to the other inthe operation of the machine. The strips or slats 19 are spaced apart,and the grinders 20. are j likewise spaced so as to admit of the abrad-,

ing material passing from within the box or.

chamber to the surface of the glass plate to be ground. Defiectingstrips, bars, or plates 22 are located at diderent points throughout thespace of the boxes 18 and incline outward These deflectors 22 arelocated so as to supply the abrading material to every part of thesurface of the glass plate. The abrading ma 7 terial is supplied to theupper end of the boxlike structure 18 and in its descent is arrested 7by the deflectors 22'and directed to the workin the manner stated.Suitable means may 1 be employed for supplying the abrading material tothe upper ends of the boxes 18, and, V

as shown, hoppers 23 are located above the. space formed bet-ween therevoluble holders The edges,

4. These hoppers receive a supply of sand j and water, and their lowerends are perfo-. rated or otherwise constructed to admit of. the escapeof the sand and water, so as to enter the boxes 18 when thegrinding-truck is in position.

The superstructure of the polishing-truck consists of vertical wallscomposed of spaced slats or strips 24 and bufiers or polishers attachedthereto. These polishers or bufiers consist of plates or disks 25,formed with stems 26 and covered with chamois, felt, or other softmaterial 27. openings formed in the bars or strips 24., and springs 28are provided to force the buffers or polishers outward against thesurface of r10 the plate being polished or finished. The polishingmaterial is supplied to the buffers by hand, the attendant passingbetween the walls and applying the material to the surface by means ofa. brush, which is forced ns into the spaces formed between the buffers.

The stems 26 enter;

The vertical walls are suitably stifiened and '7 strengthened by braces29. r

The plates of glass after being rolledand required to be ground andpolished are at- 12 0 f tached to the holders 4 by means of theclampbars 5, and said holders are drawn outward by manipulation of theset-screws 7 in the vi manner stated, after which the grinding- 7 truckis moved into position between the i251} plates and is secured by theclampdevices in the manner stated. Motion being imparted to the shafts 1and 2, the holders bearing the 7 plates are rotated and simultaneouslyoscilj lated, and the set-screws 7 being slackened '1'3of the springs 8reacting force the plates against the grinders, by means of which theplates of glass are ground upon one side. After the plates have beensufficiently ground and smoothed the grinding-truck is replaced by thepolishing truck and the operation repeated until the glass plates havethe ground surfaces properly polished. After this operation the platesof glass are reversed and finished upon the opposite side. It is to beunderstood that the plates are held perpendicular throughout the entireoperation and are only required to be handled once from start to finish,this handling being necessary in order to present the reverse side forfinishing. The provision of different trucks enables successive stepsbeing effected without requiring the handling of the plates, which ishighly obj ectionable,because of theliability to breakage during eachshifting or handling of the plates.

Within the purview of the invention changes in the form, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromor sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In amachine for grinding and polishing plates of glass, revolublework-holders spaced apart, and a grinder or polisher adapted to be movedinto the space formed between the said work-holders, substantially asset forth.

2. In a machine for grinding and polishing plates of glass, revolublework-holders spaced apart and provided with means for attachment theretoof the glass plates, a truck adapted to be run into the space formedbetween the said work-holders, and means mounted upon the said truck forfinishing the work, substantially as specified.

3. In a machine for grinding and polishing plates of glass,transversely-spaced revoluble work-holders, a truck provided withgrinding or polishing mechanism and adapted to be run into the spacebetween the said work-holders, and means for securing the truck when inposition, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for grinding and polishing plate-glass,transversely-spaced revoluble work-holders, a truck provided withgrinding or polishing mechanism, means for guiding the truck when runinto the space formed between the said work-holders, and clamp devicesfor securing the truck when positioned, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for grinding and polishing plateglass,transverselywpaced revoluble work-holders, a truck provided withgrinding or polishing mechanism and adapted to be run into the spaceformed between said workholders, guides composed of pins or bars,andspaced flanges having their end portions flared, and clamp devices forfixing the truck when properly positioned, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for grinding and polishing glass plates,transversely-spaced revoluble work-holders, a truck having endextensions and provided with the grinding or polishing mechanism, rodsor bars pendent from the truck, spaced flanges having their end portionsflared and adapted to cooperate with the said rods or bars to properlyposition the truck, and clamp devices cooperating with the said guidedevices to secure the truck when positioned, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for grinding and polishing plate-glass, a revolublework-holder, a boxlike structure having one wall composed of interspacedgrinding elements, deflectors located in the box and inclined outwardlyand downwardly to direct the abrading material to the work, and meansfor supplying abrading material to the upper portion of the boxlikestructure, substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine for grinding and polishing plate glass,transverselyspaced revoluble work-holders provided with means forsecurin g the plates of glass thereto, a truck adapted to be movedtoward and from the space formed between said work-holders and providedwith said grinding mechanism, guide devices for properly positioning thetruclr, and clamp devices for securing the truck when positioned,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MASON R. WELTY. [L. 8.]

W'itnesses:

GEO. S. RUMBAUGH, RABE F. MARSH.

